Kevin Ivers said his primary objective as interim superintendent of Niles Community Schools is to aid the board in hiring a permanent superintendent to replace Richard Weigel, who resigned Wednesday.

Ivers, 55, was appointed as interim by the Niles school board during a special meeting Wednesday.

He said the goal is to have the position filled by June 30.

“That would be the target, so we’d have someone ready to start July 1,” he said. “My personal goal would be to get things in place so the new person can come in and hit the ground running.”

Ivers is currently superintendent of Berrien Regional Education Service Agency, which provides a variety of services to all of the county’s school districts and charter schools.

He is in the process of figuring out how to juggle both jobs.

“It is my hope to establish specific days of the week when I can be here,” he said. “It is my goal to be available as much as possible knowing I have other responsibilities as well.”

Ivers said there shouldn’t be a conflict with attending board meetings at both places as they happen at different times.

However, Ivers said there is the possibility that the board could hire another interim superintendent if the arrangement doesn’t work out.

“I just want to see how this is going to work first,” he said. “Niles is the largest district in the county, so if it is too overwhelming to be in both places I will have to give a recommendation of what to do.”

Ivers, who lives in Bridgman, said the school district’s attorney contacted him about becoming the interim superintendent Wednesday morning. The board voted him in later that night.

“Obviously you wake up in the morning and don’t know what is going to happen during the day and all of a sudden you are being asked to be superintendent of another school district — so it’s been quite the ride,” he said. “I feel it’s my duty as the county superintendent to assist local districts when they have a need. I felt it was the right thing to do. I didn’t want to see Niles left hanging without anyone.”

In addition to assisting with the search for a permanent superintendent, Ivers said he would help get the budget ready for next year.

Ivers has been superintendent of Berrien RESA since 2010. Prior to that, he was superintendent of Bridgman Public Schools from 2001 to 2010.

— Dr. IVER’S BACKGROUND —

EDUCATION

• Doctor of Philosphy — Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., Department of Educational

• Administrator Certificate — Governors State University, University Park, Ill., Major: Educational Administration

• Master of Science — Purdue University Calumet, Hammond Ind., Major: Secondary Education, Minor: Spanish

• Bachelor of Arts — Ball State University, Muncie, Ind.

Major: U.S. History, Minor: Spanish

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2010 – Present — Superintendent, Berrien Regional Education Service Agency, Berrien Springs, Mich.

2001 – 2010 — Superintendent, Bridgman, Mich.

1996 – 2001 — Principal, F.C. Reed Middle School, Bridgman, Mich.

1993 – 1996 — Assistant Principal, Lake Central High School, St. John, Ind.

1990 – 1993 — Assistant Principal, Central Middle School, Community Consolidated School District #146, Tinley, Ill.

1985 – 1990 — Spanish teacher, Central Middle School, Tinley Park, Ill.